Pyrophoric igniting device



Nov. 17, 1959 A. RACEK PYROPHORIC IGNITII IG DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 15, 1958 Nov. 17, 1959 RACEK ETAL 2,912,841

PYROPHORIC IGNITING DEVICE FilQd May 15, 195B 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2,912,841 Patented Nov. 17, 1959 ice PYROPHORIC IGNITING DEVICE Alfred Racek and Johann Raganitsch, Vienna, Austria Application May 15, 1958, Serial No. 735,535

Claims priority, application Austria May"18, 1957 Claims. (Cl. 67-201) This invention relates to an actuating device for the friction wheel of pyrophoric lighters, inwhich a drive rod is displaced by spring force and is thus coupled to the friction wheel to rotate the same. Such devices are used, e.g., in gas igniters, gasor petrol-fuelled lighters or the like, including those in the form of a pistol.

In the known devices of this type the drive rod is under the action of a locking means, which holds it in its one end position, and of a release member which serves at the same time as a storage means for the spring force and which is operable to and render the drive rod operative by releasing it from the locking means.

The invention differs from the known devices in that the locking means comprises a bell-crank lever which is automatically moved to its locking position and one lever arm of which is formed as a locking nose for the drive rod whereas the other lever arm extends into the path of movement of the release member, which is formed as a rocker lever which receives a leaf spring which is bent in the shape of a V and which bears with one end on the rocker lever whereas the other end of the spring is in interengagement with the drive rod.

These features provide for a much simpler and more reliable construction and the device according to the invention produces a better shower of sparks than was possible so far. The actuating member according to the invention enables the production of showers of sparks of equal intensity irrespective of the energy applied, which is very small. This is due to the feature of the invention to use a leaf spring as an energy storage means.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention will be explained more fully hereinafter with reference to a gas'igniter which is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and in which such a device may be incorporated.

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing such a gas igniter and Fig. 2 shows the igniting device according to the invention incorporated in such gas igniter.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a pistol-shaped pyrophoric lighter.

Fig. 4 is a front view showing the same lighter comprising an actuating device according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of Fig. 4 showing the actuating device relaxed, and

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional View showing the actuating device cocked.

The gas igniter shown in Fig. 1 comprises a handle part 1, from which an actuating member 2 protrudes, and an elongated arm 3 which is attached to the handle and which enables the burner openings to be reached, e.g., even when a cooking pan is placed thereabove. The free end of the arm 3 mounts a friction wheel 4, which is engaged by a flint, which is not shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and which is adjustable under the action of a spring. To effect ignition the friction wheel 4 is quickly rotated for each igniting operation by means of a drive mechanism which is accommodated in the body of the igniter and under the influence of a spring force.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2 a friction wheel 5 engaging the flint 6, which is under the action of a spring '7, is operatively connected by means of a known trigger 8 to a drive rod 9. This drive rod is coupled to the friction wheel to rotate the latter.

At its end facing'the friction wheel 5 this drive rod 9 has two stops 10 and 11, between which a slot 12 is provided, which receives one end 13 of a leaf spring 14 which is bent in the shape of a V and the other end 15-of which engages .one arm 16 of a rocker lever 17. It has been found suitable to insert the leaf spring 14 adjacent to its bend between b'osses 18 and 19 of the rocker lever 17. The second arm 20 of the rocker lever 17 can'be brought into engagement with one of the lever arms 21 of the bell-crank lever 22. The other lever arm 23 of this bell-crank lever 22 cooperates with the stop 11 of the drive rod 9. Thus, the bell-crank lever 22 forms a locking means for the drive rod 9 and holds the latter in one end position. The lever arm 23 may suitably be' designed as a locking nose. The rocker lever 17 and the bell-crank lever 22 have acute angles of opening facing each other and are under the influence of turning moments which oppose a mutual engagement of these levers. These turning movements may be produced, e.g., by spiral springs 26, 27 coiled around the pivots 24 and 25 of said levers. In the embodiment shown the pivots 24 and 25 are inserted in the handle of the gas igniter.

The device has the following mode of operation: In its initial position the drive rod 9 is at 0 forward dead centre with respect to the actuating member 2. Pressure on the actuating member 2 will cause the rocker lever 17 to turn in the direction of arrow 28 in Fig. 2 about its pivot 24. This causes the leaf spring 14 to be strained because the drive rod 9 bears with its stop 11 in the direction of the arrow 29 on the locking nose on the arm 23 of the bell-crank lever 22. The lever 17 acts as anenergy storage means and then as a release member. As the pivotal movement of the lever 17 is continued its arm 20 engages the arm 21 of the lever 22 and the latter is rotated in the direction of the arrow 30. During this rotation the arm 23 clears the stop 11 and the strained spring 14 is allowed to relax. This causes the drive rod 9 to spring back in the direction of arrow 29 and the device produces a shower of sparks. When the actuating member 2 is then released the arm 16 coacting with the stop 10 returns the drive rod to its initial position.

The pyrophoric lighter shown in two views in Figs. 3 and 4 is provided with an actuating device according to the present invention, which is similar in construction to the embodiment described hereinbefore. For this reason, like parts have been identified with the same ref erence characters provided with a prime The housing part 31, which imitates in a manner known per se the barrel of a pistol, accommodates a fuel tank 32, the wick 33 which. is protected by a cover 34. This cover. 34 is pivoted on the shaft 35 of the friction wheel 5' and is linked to the drive rod 9'. It is known per se to operatively connect the covers of lighters with the friction wheels to cause the operation of the friction wheel in response to actuation of the cover. The actuating device according to the invention, however, ensures the opening and closing of the cover 34 to be positively effected with a minimum of energy (Figs. 5 and 6). The initial stress of the springs 14 and 26' holds the cover 34 in its closed position.

It is understood that an actuating device according to the invention can also be incorporated in lighters having a different external shape.

What We claim is:

1. An igniting device which comprises, in combination, a friction wheel, a drive rod movable between first and second end positions and arranged to be coupled to and to rotate said friction wheel during movement of said rod from said first to said second end position, a bellcrank lever having first and second arms and biased to move to a locking position, in which said first arm engages said drive rod to hold it in said first position, a rocker lever having first and second arms and operable to engage said second arm of said bell-crank lever with said first arm of said rocker lever and then to move said bell-crank lever out of said locking position so as to cause said first arm of said bell-crank lever to disengage said drive rod, and a V-shaped leaf spring having one end bearing on said second arm of said rocker lever and another end in interengagement with said drive rod, said spring being arranged to move said drive rod from said first position to said second position when said second arm of said bell-crank lever has been disengaged by said first arm of said rocker lever.

2. An igniting device as set forth in claim 1, in which said drive rod carries a stop engaged by said second arm of said rocker lever and which comprises a spring arranged to act through the intermediary of said rocker lever on said drive rod and tending to move the latter toward said first position.

3. An igniting device as set forth in claim 1, in which said drive rod carries two stops, one of which is engaged by said first arm of said bell-crank lever and the other of which is engaged by said second arm of said rocker lever and in which said rocker lever consists also of a bell-crank lever, said bell-crank levers having acute angles of opening facing each other.

4. An igniting device as set forth in claim 1, in which said bell-crank lever and rocker lever are mounted on pivots and coil springs are arranged around said pivots and tend to move said levers toward engagement of said first arm of said rocker lever with said second arm of said bell-crank lever.

5. An igniting device as set forth in claim 1, in which said leaf spring is formed with a bend and said rocker lever is formed with bosses engaging said bend to hold said leaf spring in position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019,435 Blair Oct. 29, 1935 2,196,879 Trollen Apr. 9, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 65,121 Austria June 10, 1914 

